Students accused of stealing classmate's iPhone at Upper Darby High school

UPPER DARBY -- Three Upper Darby High School students were arrested at school and charged with robbery for allegedly roughing up another student and stealing his phone.

Tafari E. Lawrence, 18, of the first block of Springton Road, Upper Darby, and two 17-year-old males are facing charges of robbery, conspiracy, theft, simple assault, harassment and receiving stolen property for an incident inside a boy's bathroom at 1 p.m. on Jan. 18 at the high school, 601 N. Lansdowne Ave, police said.

"We were notified immediately by school security," police Superintendent Michael Chitwood said. "Fortunately, the police department and school district work hand in hand and do not tolerate this behavior. There was a struggle with one of the boys while the other two grabbed the victim's arms. Fortunately for the victim, who is also 17, an employee walked into the bathroom and they have video surveillance. All three defendants were identified on the surveillance."

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According to the affidavit prepared by Criminal Investigator Kevin Dinan, police responded to the school for a report of three students in custody in the security office.

"The juvenile victim had been assaulted by three males and then robbed of his Apple iPhone," Dinan wrote in the document. "The victim stated he went into the bathroom and one of the stalls. One of the males came up from behind and tried to open his pocket. The victim grabbed his hand and came out of the stall. The two other males than grabbed the victim's arms while another went into his pocket to get the phone. The victim felt his pocket rip and his glasses knocked off his face. The teacher came in as the actors were leaving."

The victim valued the iPhone and case at $705. He suffered a wrist injury that did not require hospital treatment.

Lawrence was arraigned and detained in lieu of posting 10 percent of $25,000 pending a preliminary hearing Jan. 29 in district court.

The juveniles will be processed on the same charges through the county's Juvenile Detention Center.